China Calls Apple Products Too "Risky"

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China's government won't be using iPads or Macs because it views Apple products as having too many security problems, reports say.

China decided to exclude Apple products from its procurement list from the Ministry of Finance or devices that can be bought with public funds, because of security risks, an unnamed Chinese official told Bloomberg News. Among the 10 devices not to be used by the government included the iPad, iPad Mini, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

China has also stopped buying Symantec and Kaspersky Lab antivirus software as well as Microsoft. "When the government stops the procurement of products, it sends a signal to corporates and semi-government bodies,” Mark Po, an analyst with UOB Kay Hian in Hong Kong, told Bloomberg. “The Chinese government wants to make sure that overseas companies shouldn’t have too much influence in China.”

Despite the government not wanting to buy its wares, Apple still made 16 percent of its revenue from China. Unfortunately, it cited Edward Snowden's leaking of National Security Agency spying habits as a reason to be extra cautious of foreign companies. Reports also say that the iOS may lead to security breaches.

Neither Apple nor Chinese officials commented on the news. Chinese officials can still use Dell, Hewlett Packard and Lenovo (which is Chinese) products.

Apple's products do have security risks, as we have seen several times over the last few years, but so do many other platforms. Critics have suggested this is simply retaliation by the Chinese government over the indictment of five Chinese soldiers for corporate espionage. There really doesn't even have to be a reason. Perhaps the Chinese government is simply flexing its muscle by showing it doesn't need a top American company.